This application claims priority to Japanese patent application P000225-01 (2000-048648), as filed with the Japanese patent office on Feb. 25, 2000.
The present invention relates to a riflescope for mounting upon a hunting rifle or a rifle used for sport, amusement, etc.
An earlier technology type riflescope for mounting upon a hunting rifle or a rifle used for sport, amusement, etc. comprises: an objective lens; an objective tube containing the objective lens; a distance adjustment lens disposed in the vicinity of the objective tube; a vertical sighting adjustment ring; a right-left sighting adjustment ring; and a sighting adjustment unit containing the vertical sighting adjustment ring and the right-left sighting adjustment ring; wherein the sighting adjustment unit is disposed at the objective end of the riflescope. The distance adjustment lens moves forward and backward due to operation of a distance adjustment ring so that distance adjustment is carried out.
Since the earlier technology type distance adjustment ring used for distance adjustment is disposed at the objective side of the sighting adjustment unit equipped with the vertical sighting adjustment ring and the right-left sighting adjustment ring, fine distance adjustment can only be carried out while extending one hand. Therefore problems arise such as ready movement during distance adjustment, difficulty of distance adjustment, and worsening of precision of distance adjustment. Moreover, the scale used for the distance adjustment operation is disposed upon the distance adjustment operation ring at the lateral surface of the riflescope. Therefore during distance adjustment the scale is viewed, and rough distance adjustment is carried out. Thereafter distance adjustment must be carried out without looking at the scale. This operation is deficient in that the operation therefore becomes difficult.
In order to solve the above mentioned problems, the riflescope of the present invention comprises: a distance adjustment unit comprising a distance adjustment lens between an objective lens and an erector lens; a distance adjustment operation unit comprising a distance adjustment operation ring in the vicinity of an eyepiece tube equipped with an eyepiece optical system; and a connector member connecting the distance adjustment unit and the distance adjustment operation unit so that distance adjustment of the riflescope can be carried out by operation of the distance adjustment operation ring.
A scale used for distance adjustment is disposed upon the distance adjustment operation ring so as to be visible from the eyepiece-proximal end of the riflescope.
Moreover, the connector member is formed as a long and narrow plate.
Furthermore, the riflescope further comprises: a distance adjustment lens tube fixed to the distance adjustment unit; and a distance adjustment lens holding tube holding the distance adjustment lens within this distance adjustment lens tube so that the distance adjustment lens holding tube is capable of forward-backward movement.
The riflescope further comprises: a fixed tube fixed within the distance adjustment operation unit; a rotatable cam tube covering this fixed tube; and a cam mechanism for forward-backward movement of the connector member when the cam tube is rotated.
Moreover, the riflescope further comprises: a focus inside gear within the distance adjustment operation ring so that the focus inside gear rotates together with the distance adjustment operation ring; a focus gear covering the cam tube so that the focus gear rotates together with the cam tube; an idler gear disposed between the focus inside gear and the focus gear, having different gears ratios therewith, and engaging therewith.